11 Nicaraguan Slang Words for Everyday Use
Nicaraguan slang is highly creative and inventive. Picking up a few of these words allows you to communicate like a native speaker and blend in with the Nicas (Nicaraguans)!
The Spanish language is diverse and changes as you move from country to country. Spanish slang allows you to express yourself in multiple situations using unique words you never imagined or won’t understand easily.
Keep reading to learn 11 Nicaraguan slang words for everyday use!
Nicaraguan Slang for Objects
1. Chunchada
A chunchada is a useful word used for describing any object or item. It doesn’t have a literal translation in English, but would mostly resemble “that thing” or “stuff.”
Pasame esa chunchada que está en la mesa por favor.
Please pass me that thing on the table.
Ayer caminando vi unas chunchadas lindisimas en la tienda.
Walking yesterday I saw the nicest stuff at the store.
2. Queque
The literal translation for this Nicaraguan slang word is “what-what” but its meaning is totally unrelated. The word queque is used for referencing a piece of cake, a pie, or a cupcake.
Le voy a comprar un queque a mi abuela porque es su cumpleaños.
I’m buying a cake for my grandmother because it’s her birthday.
Me gustan mucho los queques de chocolate.
I really like chocolate cupcakes.
3. Chapas
The word chapas is Nicaraguan slang for earrings or the equivalent for the Spanish word aretes.
¿Me puedes guardar mis chapas en tu bolsa?
Can you keep my earrings in your purse?
Perdí una chapa cuando me metí en la piscina.
I lost an earring when I got in the pool.
4. Chimbomba
The word chimbomba is so particular, trust me you’ll be able to remember it! It’s used to reference a balloon or the equivalent in Spanish known as globo.
Quiero muchas chimbombas de colores en mi fiesta de cumpleaños.
I want plenty of colorful balloons for my birthday party.
Mi esposo me regaló una chimbomba grande cuando estaba en el hospital.
My husband gave me a large balloon when I was in the hospital.
Nicknames and Adjectives
5. Chele or Chela
The words chele and chela are Nicaraguan slang used for refering to a white, light blonde, or pale-skinned person; it can be used as a loveable nickname, like “blondie.” This memorable and common word comes from the word leche (milk).
¡Llamame a ese chico, al chele por favor!
Call that guy, the blonde one please!
A ti te dicen chela porque tu pelo es muy claro.
They call you blondie because your hair is very light.
6. Cumiche
El cumiche is used to refer to the youngest of the family, your little brother or little sister or in Spanish tu hermano / hermana pequeña.
Mi hermano Juan Pablo es el cumiche de la familia.
My brother Juan Pablo is the youngest in the family.
Los gemelos son los cumiches de la casa.
The twins are the youngest siblings in the house.
7. Tapudo
Tapudo/a is Nicaraguan slang for someone who runs their mouth or talks too much, particularly about other people and loves to gossip. In other countries, it would be a person who is chismoso/a.
Ya no hables tanto, eres muy tapudo.
Stop talking so much, you’re very gossipy.
No me gusta contarle mis cosas, es un hombre tapudo.
I don’t like telling him my stuff, he’s a very gossipy man.
8. Fachento
The word fachento is used to refer to a person who is arrogant, rude, and ostentatious. It fits perfectly for a person who comes off as conceited, rude, or who likes to show off in an unpleasant way. Synonyms include arrogante, grosero, and presumido.
Me cae mal ese chico, es bien fachento.
I don’t like that guy, he’s so arrogant.
Te estás portando fachento y no me gusta.
You’re being rude and I don’t like it.
Nicaraguan Slang for Situations
9. ¿Quiubole?
A local way of asking “what’s up”, “what’s new” or “what’s going on.” Quiubole is short for the expression ¿Que hubo?. You can use it as an informal greeting and it’s widely understood in other Central American countries like Guatemala.
¿Quiubole? ¿Cómo estás?
What’s new? How are you?
¿Quiubole con que no vas a venir al cine?
What’s up with you not coming to the movies?
10. Salado
You know the literal translation in English for salado as salty, but when it comes to Nicaraguan slang, it goes beyond that.
Estar salado means you have tough luck, are jinxed, or have a tendency for things not working out for you.
Perdí el examen a pesar de que estudié muchísimo, pareciera que estoy salado.
I failed the exam even though I studied so much, it seems like I’m jinxed.
Que salado que te robaron el carro después de comprarlo.
Tough luck your car was stolen after you bought it.
11. Ideay
The word ideay is the perfect expression for asking “what happened” or ¿qué pasó? It comes from joining the words in the expression ¿y de ahí? which translates in English to “and from there?”.
¿Ideay? ¿Por qué no vas a venir a comer? Te estábamos esperando.
What happened? Why aren’t you coming to eat? We were expecting you.
Ya no me avisaste que ibas a hacer. ¿Ideay?
You didn’t tell me what you were doing. What happened?
Talk Like a Local!
Isn’t Nicaraguan slang fun and unexpected? This list is just a glimpse of how varied languages can be. Spanish has many different words you can use depending on the scenario and country you’re in.
If you want to take it even further and amp up your slang knowledge, learn more Spanish slang from Central America. Practice, memorize, and use these words so you can converse like a local with confidence!
If you’re looking to improve your fluency and conversational skills, sign up for a free trial class with our certified Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala whose dialect is easy to understand and perfect for any level.
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